Cam actuated clutch



l H. T. LAMBERT CAM ACTUATED CLUTCH s Sheets-sheet 1 SVI/1 July 27, 1948.

Original Filed`0ct. 30, 1944 `luly 27, 1948. H. T. `LAMBERT CAM ACTUATED CLUTCH 3 sheets-sheet 2 original Filed Oc1-.. 50, 1944 July 27, 1948.

H. T. LAMBERT CAM ACTUATED CLUTCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Oct. 30, 1944 im M .my 7 ,y f

Patented July 27, 194s l 2,446,138 CAM AC'rUA'rEn CLUTCH Homer T. Lambert, St. Joseph, Mich., assignor to Lambert Brake Corporation, St. Joseph, Mich., a Corporation of Michigan Original'application October 30, 1944, Serial No. 561,128. Divided and this application October 18, 1945, Serial No. 623,061V A Y 4 Calm. (ci. 19a-93) i 'Ihel present invention relates to improvements in operating mechanisms for power clutches, de-

signed especially for use in automotive vehicles,

this application constituting a division of my prior application SerialNo. 561,128 now Patent Number 2,407,022, filed October 30, 1944, for Multiple disc energizing clutch.

My invention as herein disclosed is devised to u cooperate with a special type'of disc clutch as fully-set forth and claimed in my prior application aforesaid, and in order that thevoperation of the mechanism may be clearly understood, the clutch section of the apparatus is hereinafter described in detail in its relationship to the actuator section forming the particular subject matter of the present application.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view showing the details 'of construction of my new clutch, together with the operating mechanism therefor and the housing in which these mechanisms are enclosed for splash lubrication;

Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views on the respective lines 2-3, 3 3, Ili, and 5 5 of Figurel; and

Figures 6 and 7 are fragmentary sectional views of modifications of the adjusting means for taking up wear in the clutch release mechanism.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings, the clutch mechanism4 of this invention will first be described, it being understood that this mechanism is intended to be applicable to -any construction where power and speed are transferred from a driving to a driven shaft. In the present instance, I designates the driving shaft, 2 the driven shaft, and 3 the intermedia-te clutch mechanism. To provide for the mounting of the clutch, the driven shaft is journalled in the transverse wall 4 of the housing 5 in the bearing V8, the terminus of said shaft being splined, as indicated at 1, and carrying the splined bearing sleeve 8 and spacer collar 9.

The driving shaft l is formed with a pilot bearing Ill at its extremity fitted in to the sleeve 8 'by means of the adapter bushing I I. Adjacent the pilot bearing, this shaft is provided with a spline section I2 upon which the spaced rotary friction discs I3 are slidingly received. It is tol given application of the mechanism. Motion of the driving shaft lis imparted by these discs to the drivenshaft through the clutch mechanism of which saiddiscs forma part.

Fixedly secured upon the sleeve B is what I i' term, for the purposes of this* description, the.

power or energizer plate I4, in form, more clearly shown in elevation in Figure 5, composed of three radial ribreinforced arms I4', each having a horizontal extension I4", bored and threaded to receive a pair of clamping bolts or screws I5. These screws pass through openings in the peripheral extensions I6' of the secondary disc I6. Centrally this disc is formed with a sleeve l'I, concentric with and having a bearing at I8 on the driving shaft I.

Upon the extremity of the sleeve I'I is rotatably and slidably mounted the spring housing I9, having spaced arms 2d disposed between the extensions I4, and each .bored and threaded to receive a pair of clamping bolts or screws 2I which pass through openings in peripheral extensions 22 of the primary dics 22. This primary, rotatable disc is journalled upon the end ofthe splined sleeve t.

The primary disc, therefore, is disposed in con.- tiguous rela-tion to one of the rotary discs I3. while in opposed relation the secondary disc I6 is disposed in contiguous relation to the other rotar'y disc I3 hereinbefore referred to. To increase the friction surface of the clutch, I mount between these two rotary discs, or between every pair of such discs employed, an intermediate friction disc 23. As will be seen in Figure 4J the intermediate disc 23 is formed at intervals about its periphery with pairs of lugs 24 to engage about and interlock with the extensions 22' of the primary disc, so that the intermediate disc rotates only when the clutch is engaged, but serves to multiply the fric- -tional grip of the clutch upon the rotary discs I3 when thus engaged.

The clutch action is primarily produced by an annular arrangement of expansion, coiled springs 25 interposed between the housing I3 and the secondary disc I Ii, but to obtain maximum clutch action, I prefer to' use the energizing feature of roller or ball and camming surfaces between the primary disc 22 and the power plate I4, whereby in combination with the multiple disc friction area, a. powerful clutch application ls produced notwithstanding the reduction in overall size of the unit and the use of an oil bath therefor, as hereinafter described. In the drawings, 26 designates balls in the retainer ring 21, and 28, 2B' the respective complementary camming discs.

It is to be understood that a suitable quantity of oil is contained in the housing 5 so that as the clutch unit is rotated the parts are all weil lubricated and wear and tear reduced to the absolute minimum.

Control of this clutch mechanism is had by means of the 'operating unit which will now be specifically described. This operating unit is composed of an adjusting hub 29, the flange 29 of which has seated in its inner face a thrust washer 30 located in contiguous relation to the spring housing I9, but slightly spaced therefrom when the clutch is in engaged position. The outer hub surface is threaded, as at 3i, to adjustably receive the internal threads 32 of an actuator disc 33 which is provided with a laterally extending lug 34 through which extends a lock screw 35. The end of this screw interlocks with peripheral teeth 36 on the hub flange. This construction permits adjustment to be readily made as Wear takes place in the operating parts of this unit and in initial adjustment of parts.

Next adjacent the hub is arranged the backing disc 3l in which the hub is journalled and slidingly mounted. The annular sleeve or collar extension 3l' of the power disc bears against the plate 3B surrounding the bearing 39 of the driving shaft l in the transverse wall 40 of the housing 5.

A series of spring tension v bolts 4I extend through the backing disc 3l and the actuator disc tending normally to hold the latter with its ad justing hub to the backing disc. Between the actuator disc 33 and the backing disc 31 are arranged a series of balls 42 mounted in a retainer 43 carried by the actuator disc, and these balls coact with camming discs 44, 44' seated in the faces of the actuating and backing discs, respectively. l

As shown in Figure 2, the actuator disc 33 is formed with a lug 45 to which a clutch lever (not shown) is connected by a link 46.

I desire it to be understood that the foregoin describes only one form of actuator unit for my clutch, other types being equally applicable as will be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, the energizing balls or rollers in this unit may be replaced by toggle links or pins, as shown in detail in Figures 6 and '1. Referring to these figures, it will be noted that the actuator' disc 34a is provided with a plurality of depressions or recesses 41 each to receive the ball extremity of a toggle pin 48, the other similarly shaped ends of the pins seating in corresponding depressions 49 formed in the ends of an adjusting screw 50, there being one such adjusting screw for each toggle pin employed. These screws are mounted in the backing disc 31a surrounding the driving shaft. Figure 'I illustrates the position assumed by the pin when the actuator disc has been shifted by the clutch lever.

Having in View the foregoing description, the operation of the clutch and release thereof will now be described. The position of the clutch elements shown in Figure 1 of the drawings represents the normal clutch disengaged position. When the clutch is applied by the operation of the actuator mechanism, the spring housing I9 shifts on the hub I1 of the secondary disc toward the right, said housing carrying with it the primary plate 22, causing engagement of the friction face thereof with the rotating disc I3 next adjacent the primary disc. The rotation of the disc I3 is picked up by the primary disc and causes the balls 26 to climb up the inclined planes of the camming discs 28, 28', which immediately imparts additional axial movement to the prilever through the link 46, thereby causing the balls 42 of the actuator unit to climb the camming surfaces of the discs 44, 44', which results in the movement of the adjusting hub 29 and thrust washer 30 to the left, causingI compression of the springs 25 of the clutch. The drag imposed upon the spring housing by the frictional contact of the thrust collar therewith immediately releases the balls 26, allowing them to roll to the base of the cams and the consequent movement of the primary disc away from the rst rotary disc I3. The driven shaft, by virtue of this release operation, no longer takes the drive from the driving shaft.

It will be recognized that this form of release operating mechanismrequires a minimum amount of effort lon the part of the operator of the clutch, and the employment in the clutch mechanism of the servo form of camming action insures a positive and powerful clutch for the reduced size thereof as compared with the clutch devices employed for the corresponding purposes at the present time.

Other changes and adaptations of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof as defined by the appended claims.

I claim;

1. Clutch mechanism of the class described comprising a driving. shaft, a driven shaft, a rotary disc connected for rotation with the'driving shaft, a primary disc at one side of the rotary disc, a secondary disc at the opposite side of said rotary disc and having a lateral extension surrounding the driving shaft, spring-actuated means mounted on the lateral extension of the secondary disc and connected `to the primary disc,

operating means for shifting the spring-actuated means comprising an adjusting hub, an actuator disc having threaded -connection with said hub. means for holding the actuator disc in adjustable relation to the hub, means for rotating the actuator disc, and means for shifting the actuator disc and hub with` relation tothe springactuated means to effect Vengagement and disengagement of the clutch plates.

2. A clutch and operating mechanism therefor as set forth in claim 1. wherein the means for shifting the actuator disc and hub comprises balls and camming discs and a backing disc between which and the actuator disc said camming discs and balls are disposed.

3. An operating mechanism for effecting clutch engagement and release comprising an actuator disc to which a clutch lever is adapted to be connected for rotating said disc relative to a driving shaft, a hub member threaded to receive the actuator disc, a relatively stationary backing disc at one side of the actuator disc on said hub, camming means between the actuator disc and hub for shifting the actuator disc and hub axially of the driving shaft, and means for locking said actuator disc relative to the hub for rotation as Aa unit, said locking means being releasable to permit adjustment of the hub for taking up wear.

m 6 4. Operating mechanism for eecting clutch UNITED STATES PATENTS engagement and release as set forth in claim 3,

wherein the comming means comprises adjustable Number Name Date Y toggle means intermediate said actuator disc and 787.072 Brush Apr. 11. 1905 backing disc eective upon rotation ofY theV 5 1,633,715 Erban -,Sept. 11, 1928 11015119.1201' disc t0 shift the actuator disc Vaxially 2,162,071 E950!!! June 13, 1939 of the shaft. 2,163,028 t Foster June 20, 1939 HOMER T, LAMBERT, 2,372,750 Tompkins Apr. 3, 1945 REFERENCES CITED w FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date The following references are of record in the me of this patent: 817,815 France May 31. 1937 

